Cleat-forming tool



March 4, 1930. I c, w, STRANSKY 1,749,517

' CLEAT FORMING TOOL Filed June 5, 1928 BT A / HUM mu;

Patented. Mar. 4-, 1930 PATENT QFFI'CE.

CHARLES W. STRANSKY, OF FRANCIS CREEK, WISCONSIN GLEAT-FORMING TOOL Application filed June 5, 1928. Serial No. 283,063.

The invention relates to a tool for forming cleats for use in securing metal roofing to sheathing. These cleats consist of sheet 'metal blanks bent intermediate their ends ,5 and having an end portion folded to engage over the flange at one side of the metal roofing strip. r

The invention provides a tool for bending or shaping the metal blanks at one operation l and by a single movement of a lever in one direction, the reverse movement of the lever discharging the cleats after. being formed.

' The invention contemplates a tool embody- I ing complemental jaws and coacting ejectors,

theone elevating the cleat to free its lip and the other discharging the cleat so it will not interfere with the next operation.

While the, drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and changes made in the minor details of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

v 125 For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawing hereto attached, in which t Figure 1 is a side view of a cleat tool em- 0 bodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view of a portion of the tool, the jaws being closed and the fixed j aw being in section.

Figure 3 is a front view of the parts illus- 3 tr'atedin Figure 2, the jaws being open.

' Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The tool includes a standard 1 provided at its lower end with a base for substantial attachment to a bench or other convenient support. 'The cleat forming mechanism is located at the upper end of the standard 1 and comprises a fixed jaw and a pivoted jaw.

. The fixed jaw embodies angularly disposed f faces 2 and 3, the face 2 being vertical and the face 3 horizontal. .A projection 1 extends laterally from the standard 1 and its top constitutes the element f the fixed jaw. A

plate 5 is secured to the vertical face 2 of the fixetl jaw and preferably consists of tool stee A recess 6 is formed in the upper end of the standard at the rear of the upper portion of the plate 5 and is adapted to receive anend portion ofthe sheet metal blank 7 from which the cleat is formed. The recess 6 snugly receives an end portion of the blank 7 when placed in position preliminary to the shaping thereof to form the cleat. The pivoted jaw comprises a head 8 and an arm 9, the latter being pivoted to the upperend of the standard 1 as indicated at 10.. The head 6 is adapted to close against the faces 2 and. 3 of the fixed jaw and shape the blank 7 into the preferred form. Links 11 are pivoted to and depend from the pivoted jaw and are disposed one at each side of the tool as indicated most thoroughly in Figure 3 of thedrawing. A contractile helical spring 12 connects the outer end of the arm 9 with the standard 1 and positively operates to hold the pivoted jaw away from the fixed jaw, or in open position, as indicated most clearly in Figure 1 of the drawing. The parts are so arranged that the pivoted jaw primarily occupies a position to support the blank 7 when placed in position to be shaped. This is indicated most clearly in Figure 1 of the drawing.

An operating lever 13 is pivoted to the standard and the lower ends of the links 11 are pivoted thereto. The outer end of the lever 13 normally inclines upwardly and is depressed when closing the jaws to shape a blank therebetween. When the outer end of the lever 13 is depressed the head 8 of the pivoted jaw is lowered and the arm 9 elevated.

As the pivoted jaw closes, the end portion of the blank 7 confined in the recess 6 is bent about the upper portion of the plate 5, as in dicated at 14 in Figure 2, thereby forming the lip which is adapted to engage over the upstanding .flange of a sheet metal roofing strip as willvreadily be appreciated. The blank is bent intermediate its ends as indicated most clearly in Figure 2 of the drawing to form the parts to be attachedv to the sheeting and to extend along the flange of the roofing strip in a manner well understood in sheet metal roofing.

An ejector is associated with the vertical portion of the fixed jaw and an ejector 16 is associated with the horizontal portion of the fixed jaw. The ejectors consist of plungers which are slidably mounted in the parts comgive readily appreciated. 7

After a blank 7 has been placed in position 7 prising the fixed jaw and are normally urged forwardly'by open helical springs associated therewith. An end portion of the ejector l5 normally projects beyond the horizontal face 3 of the fixed jaw. The forward end of the ejector 15 normally occupiesa position flush with'the vertical face 2 of the fixedjaw with its rear end projecting to be engaged by thev arm 9 when the pivoted aw is in open position. A plug 17 closes the lower end of an opening formed in the projection 4 to receive the ejector 16 and the spring coacting therewith. Thetension of the spring may be regulated by adjusting the plug 17 aswill the lever 13 is operated thereby moving the pivoted jaw and bending the blank into the required shape to form the cleat; As the pivoted jaw closes the ejector 16 is pressed downwardly against the tension of the spring coacting therewith, and as the pivoted jaw pivoted jaw, an ejector associated with a-face of the fixed jaw to effect disengagement of the cleat from the end portion of the said opens the ejector 16 rises and lifts the cleat to disengage the liplt thereof from the plate 5. In the final opening of the pivoted jaw the arm 9 engages the projecting end of the ejector 15 and moves the latter forwardly to discharge the cleat thereby admitting of the next blank being placed in position and the tool operated to shape the same without necessitating an extra effort or movement on the part a of the operator to remove the finished cleat from the machlne.

Having thus described the invention, I

claim V cleat forming tool comprising coniplemental jaws, an element adapted to have an end portion of the blank bent thereover,

an'ejector for lifting the cleat to disengage the bent end thereof from the shaping element, and a second ejector for" effecting automatic discharge of the cleat when formed,

2. A cleat forming tool comprising a fixed jaw, a pivoted jaw, a rigid arm fixed to and I extending from the pivoted jaw, and an e ector adapted to be operated by said arm to effect automatic discharge of the cleats as the pivoted jaw assumes anormal position after shaping the cleat.

V 3. A cleat forming tool comprising a standard including a fixed aw having angularly disposed faces, a plate applied to oneof the faces to receive an end portion of the blank which is bent thereover, a jaw pivoted to the standard-andcomprising a "head and an arm, operating means for the 

